Rivet hole locator and gauge



Patented Mar. 18, 1947 RIVET HOLE LOCATOR AND GAUGE l Louis Frank,Fellows, Calif.

Application August 4, 1943, Serial No. 497,332

(Cl. X8-46) 6 Claims.

My invention relates to a rivet hole locator and gauge and has for itsprincipal object to provide a relatively simple, practical andinexpensive device especially designed for use in connection with rivetdriving and setting appliances, and the principal object of my inventionis to provide a simple, practical and inexpensive device which inoperation will be effective in positioning a rivet setting and drivingtool so that rivets therefrom may be readily inserted into the rivetholes before being engaged by the rivet setting tool and dolly.

Further objects of my invention are to provide a rivet hole locator andgauge of the character referred to which is readily adjustable to workwherein the rows of rivet holes are located at different distances fromthe edge' of the plate, and further, to provide a device which will beof material assistance in speeding up the work incident to the feedingand location of the rivets into the registering apertures in the workand the subsequent driving and setting of said rivets. My invention withminor changes may be used for positioning screws in holes prepared forthem.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, my invention consists incertain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts whichwill be hereinafter more fully described and claimed andV illustrated'in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of a rivet hole locator and gauge.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a modified form of the rivet hole locator andgauge.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a cross section taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is an elevational view partly in section of a further modifiedform of the locator and gauge.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view of portions of a pair of abutting plateswhich are riveted to a beam or the like and with a guide strip appliedto one of said sheets.

Fig. 9 is a cross section taken on the line 9 9 of Fig, 8.

Figs. 10 and 11 are detail sectional views of modied forms of the springpressed rivet holding engaging members.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings and particularly tothe construction illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, Ill designates ahousing preferably tubular in form, square or non-circular in crosssection and closed at its lower end. rChis housing is suitablyconnected, preferably by means of a bracket I l, to a conventionalriveting tool or tool utilized for inserting rivets in their holes.

Arranged for sliding movement in the upper portion of housing i6 is aplunger I2, square or non-circular in cross section and projecting from-the lower end thereof downwardly through an opening in the closed lowerend of said housing l is a guide stem I3, the lower portion of which isthreaded for the reception of nuts I4 which normally bears against thelower end of the housing and limits the upward movement of the plungeri2 therein.

Mounted on stem i3 between the lower end of plunger I2 and the lower endof housing II) is an expansive coil spring I5. Arranged to slide freelyin the upper end portion of plunger I2 is a ball I6, preferably ofhardened metal, and which is retained within said plunger by an annularlip Il which is formed on said plunger around its upper end.

Positioned between ball I6 and a partition I8 in plunger I2 is anexpansive coil spring I9 of light tension. Formed integral with theupper portion of plunger I2 and projecting at right angles therefrom isan arm 29 in the central portion of which is formed an opening 2l.Formed in the inner faces of the walls to the side of the opening 2i arelongitudinally disposed grooves 22 and arranged for sliding movementtherein are lugs 23 which project from the ends of a transverselydisposed plate Z. An aperture 25 in the center of plate 24 provides abearing for the inner portion of a shaft 26 and loosely mounted uponsaid shaft adjacent plate 24 is a wheel 2l provided on its end oppositeplate 24 with a ange 28. This wheel 2l is adapted to ride on the exposedface on oneV of the sheets or plates that are being riveted with flange28 bearing against the edge of said plate as illustrated in Fig. 2, thusmaintaining the plunger carrying ball I6 so that it will be successivelyengaged in the rivet holes as the rivet inserting and setting tools areused.

That portion of shaft 26 outwardly from the flanged Wheel 2l is threadedfor engagement in a threaded bore 29, the latter being formed throughthe outer portion of arm 29 and the end of said shaft terminating in ahead 30 having a slot for the reception of the point of a screw driverutilized in adjusting the shaft lengthwise in the arm 2l). The inner endof shaft 25 terminates in a head 3I and a split washer 32 is 1ocatedbetween said head and bearing plate 24.

In the use of the form of rivet hole locator and gauge just described,the sheets or plates to be riveted are brought together and temporarilysecured with the rivet holes in registration and to guide and gauge therivet inserting and driving means, my improved gauge is positioned sothat the ball I6 enters one of the rivet holes with the ange 2S bearingagainst the edge of the sheet and when so positioned, the rivetinserting tool or driving tool will be in proper position to insert arivet in the next adjacent hole or to drive and set a rivet after it hasbeen inserted.

Shaft 26 carrying the flanged roller 2l may be moved lengthwise in thearm so as to correspond with the distance between the edge of the sheetand the line occupied by the centers of the rivet holes therein, andthus, as the tool is moved valongr the edge of the sheet, the ball I Ewill, under the inuence of expansive spring I9, snap into the spacedrivet holes and when so positioned, the rivet inserting tool or rivetingtool in advance of or behind the combined locator and gauge may bemanipulated, thus greatly facilitating and expediting the work incidentto the rivet inserting and setting operations.

By means of nut I4 on threaded stem I3, the ball carrying plunger i2 maybe readily adjusted in housing I so as to properly position the outerend of the plunger I2 and the ball carried thereby relative to theperiphery of the sheet engaging roller 2l.

The modiiied construction illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 includes ahousing 33 which is suitably attached to a rivet inserting or rivetsetting tool, and arranged for sliding movement in said housing, is aplunger 34 in the outer end of which is arranged for sliding movement aball 35. An expansive spring 3S within the plunger bears against theunderside of ball 35 and a stern 3l extends from the lower end of theplunger 34 downwardly through the bottom of said housing, and mounted onthe threaded lower portion of said stem are adjusting nuts 38.

An expansive spring 39 is positioned upon stem 3l between plunger 34 andthe lower end of housing 33. Projecting at right angles from the upperportion of the plunger 34 is an arm 40, and arranged for adjustmentthereupon between inverted L-shaped ribs 4I on the edge of said arm is aplate 42. Formed in plate 42 is a longitudinally disposed slot i3 andextending therethrough is a clamping screw 44, the lower end of which isscrew seated in the arm. Thus, plate 42 may be adjusted toward and awayfrom the ball carrying plunger 34 and locked by the clamping screw 44after such adjustment.

Mounted for rotation on the inner portion of plate 42 is a roller 45which is adapted to ride on the edge of one of the plates or bars whichare being connected by rivets.

In the use of this form of hole locator and gauge, the tool is movedalong the edge of one of the plates or bars being riveted with theroller d5 bearing against the edge of one of said plates or bars andduring such movement, the ball I5 under pressure exerted by spring 36will successively snap into the rivet holes in the plates or bars, thuspositioning the rivet inserting tool or driving tool in proper positionto insert a rivet in the next adjacent hole or to drive and set a rivetwhich has been inserted.

Plate 42 carrying roller 45 may be readily adjusted lengthwise upon thearm 4U so as to en- Cil able roller 45 to bear on the edge of one of theplates or bars and gauge the distance between said edge and a linepassing through the centers of the rivet holes.

In order that my improved hole locator and gauge may be used on plateshaving abutting edges and which plates are to be riveted to a beam orthe like, the plates P are assembled as illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9 anda strip S, preferably of metal, is temporarily secured to one of theplates by means of clamps or otherwise, with one edge of said striplocated a predetermined distance from the row of rivet holes in saidplate.

Thus, the edge of the strip provides a bearing and rail for the wheel orroller of the locator and gauge while the same is being used to guideand position the rivet inserter or driver.

In order that the hole locator and gauge may be properly positioned uponthe rivet driving and setting tools with which it is associated, the arml I which connects the locator and gauge may be provided with a plate IIa having parallel slots I Ib for the reception of set screws I IC andone edge of said plate carries a pointer I Id which cooperates with agraduated scale IIc on that part of the riveting tool with which thegauge is associated, thus, the spring pressed ball such as I6 or 35 ofthe gauge and the roller, such as 2'I or 45, may be adjusted tocorrespond with the plane occupied by the end of the rivet driving,setting tool and its dolly.

The construction illustrated in Fig. '7 is particularly adapted for usein connection with rivet driving and setting tools, and thisconstruction comprises a yoke 4S mounted for sliding movement in atubular housing 4l which is connected to the riveting tool, and locatedwithin the housing below the stem of the yoke is an expansive spring 4Bwhich tends to force said yoke outwardly and such outward movement beinglimited by a nut or nuts 49 positioned on the threaded end of the stembelow the housing. y

In order to hold the stem of the yoke 46 from rotating in housing 4'! alongitudinally disposed slot Lila is formed in said housing, and passingthrough said slot and seated in the stem of the yoke is a pin or screwlb (see Fig. '7).

Journalled in yoke 46 is a roller 5B provided with a circumferentialgroove 5I for the accommodation of the heads oi the rivets seated inplates, bars or the like, and formed on one end of said roller is aflange 52 which bears on the edge of the plate upon which the rollerrides, and thus, the rivet driving and setting tool associated with thegauge is correctly positioned for driving and setting rivets which havebeen inserted in the holes directly in iront of the gauge.

In Fig. l0, I have shown a modied form of the spring pressed rivet holeengaging member, the same being in the form of a hollow spring pressedstud 515 having a rounded outer end 56 which is adapted to enter rivetholes.

In Fig ll, a spring pressed plunger 51 is provided with a rounded outerportion 58 which is adapted to engage in rivet holes.

Thus, it will be seen that I have provided a rivet hole locator andgauge which is simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture andvery effective in performing the functions for which it is intended. Itwill be understood that minor changes in the size, form and constructionof the various parts of my improved rivet hole locator and gauge may bemade and substituted for those herein shown and described without de- 5parting from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forthin the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a rivet hole locator and gauge, a support, a spring pressedplunger mounted for sliding movement in said support, a spring pressedball mounted for sliding movement in said plunger, an arm projectingfrom said plunger and a work engaging roller journalled for rotationupon said arm.

2. A rivet hole locator' and gauge as set forth in claim 1 and withmeans for adjusting said roller toward and away from said plunger.

3. A rivet hole locator and gauge as set forth in claim l with means foradjusting the position of said plunger in said support.

4. In a rivet hole locator `and gauge, a support, a spring pressedplunger arranged for sliding movement in said support, a spring pressedball arranged for sliding movement in said plunger, an arm projectingfrom said plunger, a work engaging roller journalled for operation insaid arm, and a work engaging flange on one end of said roller.

5. A rivet hole locator and gauge as set forth in claim 4 and withmeansfor adjusting said roller toward and away from said plunger.

6. In a rivet hole locator and gauge, a support, a spring pressed membermounted for sliding movement on said support, a spring pressed ballcarried by said spring pressed member which ball is adapted to enterrivet ho-les in the work upon which the gauge is used, and a workengaging roller adjustably mounted on said spring pressed member.

LOUIS FRANK.

REFERENCES CITED v,The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,634,521 Stapp July 5, 19271,991,138 Christie Feb. 12, 1935 42,375 Howell et al Apr. 19, 18641,375,395 Krook Apr. 19, 1921

